Apparatus for forming chain links



April 22, 1924' J. BILLINGHAM APPARATUS FOR FORMING CHAIN LINKS Filed July 21 1922 I/VVE/VTOR Jef/zroBz'lZz'ng/zam W ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 22, 192%.

JETH RO BELINGHAM, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGN'OR 0F ONE-THIRD TO WILLIAM F. WEMLINGER AND ONE-THIRD TO LEO BAUER, BDTH OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR FORMING- GHAIN LINKS.

Application filed July 21,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J ETHRO BILLINGEAM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Forming Chain Links, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an apparatus for forming chain links, an object of the invention being to cheapen the cost of manufacture, to simplify the method and to assure uniform results.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and certain novel steps in the method all of which will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the position of links in the method of form ing them.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the lower die member showing the position of the link when forming the scarf.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the last step of the method with the link in position when the scarfs are forced together.

Figure 4 is an inverted perspective view of the upper die member.

Figure 5 is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical transverse section showing the position of the link while the scarf is being formed thereon.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a hammer head supporting an upper die member 2 at its lower end, said die member and hammer head being connected by dovetailed tongue and groove as shown at 3.

4 represents the lower die member, which is also provided with a dovetailed tongue 5 for connection with an anvil or support of any desired character. Lower member 4 is rovided with a projecting ledge or flange i above which a plunger block 6 is adjustably connected to the hammer head 1 by set screws 8.

These set screws project through Washers 9, through slots 10 in the plunger and are screwed into the hammer head.

A block 10' of suitable size is inserted between the upper end of the plunger 6 and the projecting ledge 11 at the upper 1922. Serial N0. 576,550.

end of the hammer head 1 to prevent any possibility of the plunger creeping after adjustment, and it is obvious that various sizes of these blocks may be provided to be used in accordance with the position or adjust: ment of the plunger.

On the lower die member and at one edge thereof three lugs 12, 13 and 14 are provided with curved spaces 15 between them, to accommodate the cross sectionaldh mension of the metal of the link 16, and

suitably curved at their inner faces to give the proper shape to the link ends as will more fully hereinafter appear.

The ledge or flange 7 is preferably slightly dished, or curved at its upper surface as shown at 17, to conform to the shape of the link. The upper die member 2 is formed on its lower face with a pair of lugs 18 and 19 of the same depth, the lug 19 having a curved and inclined or beveled shaping surface 20 to form the scarfs on the ends of the open link, as will be explained.

In carrying out my improved method in connection with the apparatus above described, the link 16 is given a shape such as shown in Figure 2 with the exception that its ends are straight and not scarfed as there shown.

The first step of the method is to place the link with one end projecting around the curved surface of the lug 12 and then cause the head 1 to move downwardly to give a sharp blow to the end of the link, and in doing so the beveled face 20 of the lug 19 strikes the end of the open link and forms the scarf 21 thereon. The link is then reversed in position and the head again operated to form the opposite scarf on the other end of the link.

The next step in the method is to place the link with the open scarfed ends on the ledge or flange 7 and on the next downward movement of the head 1, the plunger 6 will force the two ends of the link together with the scarfed ends overlapping.

more uniform link than is possible with apparatus and methods in ordinary use,

It might be added that one of the final steps in the formation of a link consists in placing the link in a fire having a welding heat and then placing the link between the at liberty to make such changes and altera-. tions as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim: a I 1. The herein described apparatus for forming chain links, consisting in a hammer head, an upper member fixed to the I hammer head, a lower member separate from the upper member and having lugs thereon with curved recesses between them for the accommodation of the ends of a link, a lug on the upper member having a beveled side face adapted to separately engage the ends of the link and form scarfs thereon, and

'means for forcing the scarfed ends of the links together.

2. The herein described apparatus for memes forming chain links, consisting in a hammer head, an upper member fixed to the hammer head, a lbwer member separate from the upper member and having lugs thereon with curved recesses between them for the accommodation of the ends of a link, a lug on the upper member having a beveled side face adapted to engage the ends of the link and form scarfs thereon, a ledge on the lower memberand having an upper face curved upwardly adjacent the outer edge of they -'f ledge, and an adjustable plunger on the head adapted to force the ends of the link together when the latter is positioned on the ledge and engaged by the plunger. p

'3. The herein described apparatus for forming chain links, consisting in a hammer head, on upper memberfixed to the hammer head, a lower member separate from the upper member and having lugs thereon with curved recesses between them for the accommodation of the ends of a'link, a lug on the upper member having a beveled side face adapted to separately engage the ends of the link and form scarfs thereon, a ledge on the lower member, an adjustable plunger on the head adapted to'force the ends of the link together when the latter is positioned on the ledge and engaged by the plunger, said upper member having a face thereon adapted to engage the overlapped scarfed ends of the links and force them together in position for welding.

JETHRO BILLINGHAM. 

